Appointed to Salvation, Not Wrath

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 – Appointed to Salvation, Not Wrath

I love to read about the rapture of the church because of the promise it represents: that God wants to be in relationship with me for eternity. But there is more to it than that. Death has the same result as the rapture. Why does he add this extra bonus? Why not just say that everyone is going to die and that will be that? Because of v. 9. God did not appoint us to wrath, and wrath is coming. No, that doesn’t mean that He doesn’t discipline His children – He does. It doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to go through difficult times – we will. The wrath that Paul is referring to is the Tribulation I mentioned before. Seven years of God pouring out His wrath on a sinful, rebellious world. But Christians will not be forced to endure this horror because we were not appointed to wrath (Read Revelation 3:10, too).

I know that there are lots of people who are much smarter than I who will tell you otherwise. And I refuse to debate the issue. I will tell you what I believe and why I believe it, and you can tell me what you believe and why you believe it. I guarantee you that I have already heard it or read it. I have been taught it by professors I love dearly. I have even embraced the possibility (for a brief period in my life) that the rapture could take place mid- or post-tribulation. But my personal study has brought me back to this fact: God did not appoint us to wrath, but to salvation. When you study the topic you will discover that God’s purpose in pouring out His wrath is to shake the people of Israel and draw them to Himself. As you read the prophecies and the apocalyptic literature, you see that this happens (a discussion for another date).

That doesn’t mean that we won’t experience the beginning of tribulation – what Jesus called the “birth pangs” or “the beginning of sorrows” in Matthew 24. I want all Christians to know that difficult days are here. Look around the world and see Christians persecuted as never before in history. Even in our great nation, religious liberties (especially Christian liberties) are being restricted every day. We are living in the days of Noah, and we need to be ready. But don’t be afraid! Take comfort – and tell everybody the good news – Jesus is coming soon!